1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team

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1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers football
Big Eight co-champion
Orange Bowl champion
Orange Bowl, W 40–6 vs. Notre Dame
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 9
APNo. 4
Record9–2–1 (5–1–1 Big 8)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTom Osborne (4th season)
Offensive schemeI formation
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1971
1973 →
1972 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Oklahoma $ 6 1 0 11 1 0
No. 4 Nebraska $ 5 1 1 9 2 1
No. 16 Colorado 4 3 0 8 4 0
Oklahoma State 4 3 0 6 5 0
Missouri 3 4 0 6 6 0
Iowa State 2 4 1 5 6 1
Kansas 2 5 0 4 7 0
Kansas State 1 6 0 3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • The Big 8 Conference mandated Oklahoma forfeits in three conference games, giving Nebraska the title. Oklahoma reverted this record at a later date; hence, both Oklahoma
    AP Poll

The 1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the

Memorial Stadium in Lincoln
.

Nebraska, national champions in 1970 and 1971, entered the season top-ranked in the polls, with a 23-game winning streak and a 32-game unbeaten streak.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 910:05 pmat UCLA*No. 1L 17–2067,702
September 161:30 pmTexas A&M*No. 10W 37–776,042
September 2312:50 pmat Army*No. 9ABCW 77–742,239
September 301:30 pmMinnesota*No. 7
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE (rivalry)
W 49–076,217
October 141:30 pmMissouriNo. 6
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE (rivalry)
W 62–076,511
October 211:30 pmat KansasNo. 5W 56–050,523
October 281:30 pmOklahoma StatedaggerNo. 3
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE
W 34–076,432
November 41:20 pmat No. 15 ColoradoNo. 3ABCW 33–1052,128
November 111:30 pmat No. 17 Iowa StateNo. 3T 23–2336,690
November 181:30 pmKansas StateNo. 5
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE (rivalry)
W 59–775,079
November 231:20 pmNo. 4 OklahomaNo. 5
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lincoln, NE (rivalry)
ABCL 14–1776,587
January 17:00 pmvs. No. 12 Notre Dame*No. 9NBCW 40–680,010
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[3]

Roster

[4][5]

Alward, Tom #63 (So.) LG
Anderson, Bill #97 (So.) MG
Anderson, Dan #67 (Jr.) RG
Anderson, Frosty #89 (Jr.) SE
Austin, Al #78 (Jr.) RT
Bahe, Ritch #24 (So.) WB
Bell, John #66 (Jr.) MG
Beran, Mike #62 (Sr.) RG
Blahak, Joe #27 (Sr.) LCB
Borg, Randy #19 (Jr.) RCB
Branch, Jim #51 (Sr.) LB
Butts, Randy #36 (Jr.) IB
Carstens, Jim #47 (Sr.) FB
Coleman, Ron #9 (So.) TE
Costanzo, Rich #77 (So.) RT
Crenshaw, Marvin #70 (So.) RT
Damkroger, Maury #46 (Jr.) FB
Davis, Tony #26 (So.) IB
DeNell, Jake #6 (So.) RCB
Dixon, Gary #22 (Sr.) IB
Doak, Mark #71 (So.) LT
Drinkwalter, Bob #92 (So.) RG
Duda, Rich #50 (So.) C
Dumler, Doug #54 (Sr.) C
Dutton, John #90 (Jr.) DT
Fischer, Pat #33 (Jr.) LCB
Fuller, Bruce #5 (So.) LCB
Garson, Glen #39 (Jr.) WB
Glover, Rich #79 (Sr.) MG
Goeller, Dave #28 (Jr.) IB
Harper, Willie #81 (Sr.) DE
Hegener, Stan #64 (So.) RG
Henrichs, Dennis #75 (So.) LT

 

Heydorff, Mark #2 (Jr.) S
Hill, Jeff #8 (So.) SE
Humm, Dave #12 (So.) QB
Humm, Tom #32 (So.) WB
Hunter, Ken #78 (So.) MG
Hyland, John #58 (Sr.) DE
Janssen, Bill #55 (Sr.) DT
Jenkins, Brad #87 (So.) SE
Johnson, Ardell #29 (So.) RCB
Johnson, Monte #37 (Sr.) DT
Jones, Chuck #35 (So.) LCB
Kinsel, John #53 (Sr.) C
Knudsen, Tom #73 (Jr.) MG
Kyros, George #18 (So.) S
Lackovic, Tim #80 (So.) SE
Leonardi, Chad #61 (So.) LG
List, Jerry #85 (Sr.) TE
Loewenstein, Ron #4 (So.) MON
Longwell, Brent #86 (Jr.) TE
Luck, Terry #11 (So.) QB
Lynch, Dan #96 (So.) DT
Manstedt, Steve #82 (Jr.) DE
Mason, Dave #25 (Sr.) MON
Mazon, Frank #31 (So.) RCB
McGuire, Tim #93 (So.) LG
McKinley, Kim #65 (So.) DT
Meyer, Bob #98 (So.) DE
Mills, George #69 (So.) DT
Moran, Jeff #30 (So.) WB
Mushinskie, Larry #88 (So.) TE
Nelson, Bob #57 (So.) LB
Norrie, Rod #94 (So.) DT
O'Connell, John #34 (Jr.) S
Offner, Mike #95 (So.) DE

 

O'Holleran, Mike #38 (So.) FB
Olds, Bill #44 (Sr.) FB
Osborne, Mike #99 (So.) DT
Pate, Tom #68 (So.) DE
Peterson, Matt #7 (So.) SE
Pitts, John #56 (Sr.) LB
Potter, Dana #10 (So.) QB
Powell, Ralph #41 (Jr.) FB
Redding, Dave #91 (So.) DE
Revelle, Bob #84 (So.) SE
Righetti, Phil #74 (Sr.) LT
Rodgers, Johnny #20 (Sr.) WB
Rogers, Terry #40 (So.) MON
Runty, Steve #13 (Jr.) QB
Rutan, Bob #15 (So.) QB
Ruud, Tom #45 (So.) LB
Sanger, Rich #43 (Jr.) P/PK
Schmit, Bob #23 (Jr.) LB
Seeton, Jim #16 (So.) S
Sloey, Bill #42 (Sr.) LB
Starkebaum, John #48 (So.) MON
Stinner, John #3 (Jr.) LB
Strong, Jon #49 (Jr.) LB
Thornton, Bob #17 (Jr.) S
Westbrook, Don #21 (So.) IB
White, Daryl #72 (Jr.) LT
Wieser, Steve #83 (So.) DE
Wolfe, Bob #76 (Jr.) LG
Yaralian, Zaven #1 (Jr.) RCB
Young, Vic #52 (So.) C
Zanrosso, Dennis #59 (Jr.) C

     

Coaching staff

Name Title First year
in this position
Years at Nebraska Alma mater
Bob Devaney
Head Coach
1962 1962-72 Alma
Tom Osborne Offensive coordinator 1969 1964-97 Hastings
Cletus Fischer Offensive Line 1960-85 Nebraska
Carl Selmer Offensive Line 1962-72
Jim Ross 1962-76
John Melton Tight Ends, Wingbacks 1973 1962-88 Wyoming
Mike Corgan Running Backs 1962 1962-82 Notre Dame
Monte Kiffin Defensive Coordinator 1967-76 Nebraska
Warren Powers Defensive Backs 1969-76 Nebraska
Boyd Epley Head Strength Coach 1969 1969–2003 Nebraska
Jim Walden 1971-72 Wyoming
Bill Myles Offensive Line 1972 1972-76

Game summaries

UCLA

#1 Nebraska at UCLA [box score]
1 234Total
#1 Nebraska 0 1007 17
UCLA 3 773 20

Unranked

Efren Herrera kicked a field goal to break the tie with just 22 seconds remaining.[6][7] The upset loss dropped Nebraska from first to tenth in the AP Poll rankings.[8]

Texas A&M

Texas A&M at #10 Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Texas A&M 0 007 7
#10 Nebraska 14 779 37
  • Date: 1972-09-16
  • Location:
    CST
  • Game attendance: 76,042

Due to a stadium expansion completed over the summer, Nebraska's home opener drew record attendance with slightly more than 76,000 spectators.[9] Nebraska recovered from the loss to UCLA with a dominant 37–7 victory over Texas A&M, whose sole touchdown came late in the 4th quarter against Cornhusker reserves.[10]

Army

#9 Nebraska at Army [box score]
1 234Total
#9 Nebraska 14 212814 77
Army 0 007 7

Nebraska entirely stomped Army, with the Cornhusker reserves taking over in the 3rd quarter behind a very comfortable lead, and the Black Knights' lone score to prevent the shutout came on a 10-yard pass reception with just 35 seconds left to play.

Minnesota

Minnesota at #7 Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Minnesota 0 000 0
#7 Nebraska 7 21147 49

For the third straight week, Nebraska dominated the game in every way, shutting out Minnesota while piling up 542 yards of offense.

Missouri

Missouri at #6 Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Missouri 0 000 0
#6 Nebraska 7 142714 62

Nebraska was not affected by the week off, and thoroughly pounded Missouri 62-0. Although the scoreboard and statistics might suggest Missouri was out of their league against Nebraska, the Tigers went on after this painful shutout to upset Notre Dame and Colorado in their next two games.

Kansas

#5 Nebraska at Kansas [box score]
1 234Total
#5 Nebraska 0 281414 56
Kansas 0 000 0

The shutouts and domination continued, as Nebraska scored at will against Kansas in Lawrence (albeit with Cornhusker fans forming the majority of the sellout crowd of 50,500), and held the Jayhawks to just 63 total yards of offense and only four first downs.

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State at #3 Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Oklahoma State 0 000 0
#3 Nebraska 13 0714 34

Nebraska tied a 1937 NCAA record of four straight shutouts, and although Oklahoma State was not as easy to push around as the previous three opponents, the Cornhuskers still had little trouble getting the win.

Colorado

#3 Nebraska at #15 Colorado [box score]
1 234Total
#3 Nebraska 19 0140 33
#15 Colorado 0 1000 10

Colorado attempted to put some more challenge into the event than Nebraska had been seeing in recent games, and was even able to draw back from a 0-19 deficit to get within 9 by halftime and end Nebraska's shutout streak, but it was all Cornhusker points the rest of the way. Still, the

Blackshirts
mourned the end of their touchdown-free stretch at 17 quarters.

Iowa State

#3 Nebraska at #17 Iowa State [box score]
1 234Total
#3 Nebraska 7 6010 23
#17 Iowa State 0 1076 23
  • Date: 1972-11-11
  • Location: Clyde Williams Field, Ames, Iowa
  • Game attendance: 36,231

Iowa State pretty much ended any Nebraska hopes for another national title, as the Cornhuskers gave up two interceptions and six fumbles to help the Cyclones stay in the game. Nebraska came back from behind to pull ahead 20-17 in the 4th, and padded the lead with a field goal when the clock was down to just 1:03, but Iowa State stormed back down the field to score again with 0:23 remaining, and would have won the game outright if the subsequent PAT had not failed and ended the game tied at 23.

Kansas State

Kansas State at #5 Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
Kansas State 0 007 7
#5 Nebraska 10 28147 59

Nebraska put up Coach Devaney's 100th career win as the Cornhuskers easily trampled Kansas State in Lincoln and had reserves in the game for playing time while cruising behind a comfortable 38-0 lead even prior to the half. The Wildcats finally put up a touchdown with just over 6 minutes remaining to play.

Oklahoma

#4 Oklahoma at #5 Nebraska [box score]
1 234Total
#4 Oklahoma 0 0710 17
#5 Nebraska 7 070 14
  • Date: 1972-11-23
  • Location:
    CST
  • Game attendance: 76,587

It looked like Nebraska's day on Thanksgiving in Devaney's final home game as head coach. They led at the half and were up 14–0 in the 3rd, but underdog Oklahoma scored seventeen unanswered points for the win;[11] Nebraska's three-year home winning streak, which began in September 1969, ended at 23 games.[12]

Notre Dame

#9 Nebraska vs #12 Notre Dame [box score]
1 234Total
#12 Notre Dame 0 006 6
#9 Nebraska 7 13200 40

Orange Bowl
victory, and second straight Orange Bowl rout.

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
Week
PollPre12345678910111213Final
AP1109766533355894
Coaches198755443255899

Awards

[13]

Award Name(s)
Heisman Trophy Johnny Rodgers
Walter Camp Award Johnny Rodgers
Outland Trophy Rich Glover
Lombardi Award Rich Glover
All-America
1st team
Rich Glover, Willie Harper,
Johnny Rodgers, Daryl White
All-America
2nd team
Joe Blahak
Big Eight
Defensive Player
of the Year
Rich Glover
Big Eight
Offensive Player
of the Year
Daryl White
All-Big Eight
1st team
Joe Blahak, Rich Glover, Willie Harper,
Johnny Rodgers, Daryl White
All-Big Eight
2nd team
Jim Branch, Doug Dumler, Dave Humm,
Bill Janssen, Steve Manstedt, Dave Mason,
Bob Wolfe

1972 team Pplayers in the NFL

The 1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers seniors selected in the

1973 NFL Draft:[14]

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
Johnny Rodgers WR 1 25 San Diego Chargers
Willie Harper LB 2 41 San Francisco 49ers
Monte Johnson LB 2 49 Oakland Raiders
Bill Olds RB 3 61 Baltimore Colts
Rich Glover DT 3 69 New York Giants
Doug Dumler
C
5 108 New England Patriots
Joe Blahak DB 8 183 Houston Oilers
Bill Janssen
T
8 206 Pittsburgh Steelers
Dave Mason DB 10 246 Minnesota Vikings
Jerry List TE 11 283 Oakland Raiders

The 1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers juniors selected in the following year's

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
John Dutton DE 1 5 Baltimore Colts
Steve Manstedt LB 4 79 Houston Oilers
Daryl White
G
4 98 Cincinnati Bengals
Bob Wolfe
T
6 156 Miami Dolphins
Maury Damkroger LB 7 178 New England Patriots
Frosty Anderson WR 10 235 New Orleans Saints

The 1972 Nebraska Cornhuskers sophomores selected in the

Player Position Round Pick Franchise
Tom Ruud LB 1 19 Buffalo Bills
Bob Nelson LB 2 42 Buffalo Bills
John Starkebaum DB 4 92 New Orleans Saints
David Humm QB 5 128 Oakland Raiders
Don Westbrook WR 6 131 Baltimore Colts
Mark Doak
T
6 147 Washington Redskins
Ardell Johnson DB 11 277 Washington Redskins
Ritch Bahe WR 14 358 St. Louis Cardinals
Dennis Pavelka
G
16 412 Washington Redskins
Stan Hegener
G
17 442 Pittsburgh Steelers

NFL and pro players

The following is a list of 1972 Nebraska players
who joined a professional team as draftees or free agents.
[17]

Name Team
Tom Alward Birmingham Vulcans
Joe Blahak Houston Oilers
Tony Davis Cincinnati Bengals
Gary Dixon Southern California Sun
Mark Doak Birmingham Vulcans
Maury Damkroger New England Patriots
Doug Dumler New England Patriots
John Dutton Baltimore Colts
Rich Glover New York Giants
Willie Harper San Francisco 49ers
Dave Humm Oakland Raiders
Bill Janssen Charlotte Hornets
Monte Johnson Oakland Raiders
Brent Longwell Memphis Southmen
Terry Luck Cleveland Browns
Steve Manstedt Birmingham Americans
Dave Mason New England Patriots
Bob Nelson Buffalo Bills
Bill Olds Baltimore Colts
Tom Pate Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Johnny Rodgers Montreal Alouettes
Tom Ruud Buffalo Bills
Bob Schmit
Portland Storm
Don Westbrook New England Patriots
Daryl White Detroit Lions
Bob Wolfe Birmingham Americans
Zaven Yaralian Philadelphia Bell

References

  1. ^ "2018 Media Guide" (PDF). soonersports.com. Oklahoma Athletics. p. 6. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  2. ^ "2018 Media Guide" (PDF). huskers.com. Nebraska Athletics. p. 206. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  3. ^ "Football - 1972 Schedule/Results". University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletics Department. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  4. ^ "1972 Football Roster". University of Nebraska Athletics. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  5. ^ "Nebraska 1972 Commitments". Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  6. ^ Jenkins, Dan (September 18, 1972). "Young Harmon Makes His Mark". Sports Illustrated: 32.
  7. ^ "Bruins upend Cornhuskers on Herrera's field goal 20-17". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. September 10, 1972. p. 3C.
  8. ^ "Record crowd for Nebraska opener". Columbus Telegram. September 15, 1972. p. 12.
  9. ^ "Cornhuskers Bounce Back To Defeat Texas A&M, 37-7". Los Angeles Times. September 17, 1972. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  10. ^ "Nebraska bombards A&M, 37-7". Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. September 17, 1972. p. E3.
  11. ^ "Sooners rally to beat Nebraska 17-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 24, 1972. p. 19.
  12. ^ "Sooners overhaul Nebraska, take Big Eight lead". Milwaukee Journal. press dispatches. November 24, 1972. p. 18, part 2.
  13. ^ "1972 Cornhusker honors". HuskerMax. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  14. ^ Pro Football Reference.com Archived 2007-12-21 at the Wayback Machine - 1973 NFL Draft
  15. ^ Pro Football Reference.com Archived 2007-12-21 at the Wayback Machine - 1974 NFL Draft
  16. ^ Pro Football Reference.com Archived 2007-12-21 at the Wayback Machine - 1975 NFL Draft
  17. ^ "All Time NFL Huskers". Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2009.